What if the Gunpowder Plot had succeeded?

Welcome to the History Extra podcast, fascinating historical conversations from the makers of BBC History magazine. We know from history that the gunpowder plot of 1605 failed, but what if it hadn't? I'm Danny Bird. And for this four-part history extra series on the gunpowder plot, I am joined by historian Professor John Cooper from the University of York. In this third episode, we explore the frightening possibilities of an alternate course in Britain's history.

What if Parliament had been reduced to rubble, wiping out king, nobles, and clergy in a single blast? Could a compliant child queen have been placed on the throne as the conspirators had hoped? And could England have been plunged into a religious civil war? John, if Guy Fawkes had managed to light the fuse, what would the explosion beneath the Palace of Westminster have looked like and what damage would it have caused to the buildings and the surrounding area? We're talking about a lot of gunpowder underneath the House of Lords.

So it's something like 36 barrels. of the stuff. And there have been modern day experiments trying to trying to recreate that explosion. If it had all ignited, and there's a question about whether it would have, could have ignited, if it had all ignited, it would have created an almighty explosion, certainly sufficient to destroy most of the Palace of Westminster. So they the House of Lords

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